Thunderstorm cools Shimla

Strong winds along with rain and hail lashed the queen of the hills forcing walkers in downtown Shimla to run for cover.

The dark clouds gathered suddenly triggering strong winds leading to a brief power failure.

When the rain halted a dazzling rainbow lit up the evening Shimla sky as hundreds of tourists on the Ridge and the Mall gathered to admire the natureâ€™s spectacle.Many were seen taking photographs of the rainbow.

Earlier in the day the town recorded a maximum temperature of 26 C,but once it rained and hailed in the evening the mercury fell sharply.

Rain and thunderstorms were reported from many other parts of Himachal Pradesh as well.

In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.